Today we’re heading to Vietnam—a country where street food is elevated to an art form, and the balance of flavors achieves perfection. We’re making two iconic dishes you won’t find anywhere else in the world except Vietnamese cuisine.
🔥 Bún chả
A legendary Hanoi dish: juicy grilled pork patties and caramelized belly in a tangy-sweet fish sauce, served with rice vermicelli and a mountain of fresh herbs. The taste—smoky, spicy, refreshing all at once.
Ingredients:
For the patties:
• Ground pork (shoulder) – 500 g
• Fresh lemongrass – 2 stalks
• Garlic – 4 cloves
• Shallots – 2
• Fish sauce – 2 tbsp
• Sugar – 1 tsp
• Black pepper – 1 tsp
For the belly:
• Pork belly – 300 g
• Fish sauce – 1 tbsp
• Honey – 1 tbsp
For the nước chấm sauce:
• Fish sauce – 4 tbsp
• Warm water – 120 ml
• Sugar – 3 tbsp
• Lime juice – 3 tbsp
• Minced garlic – 1 clove
• Red chili – 1
• Pickled carrot – 50 g
For serving:
• Thin rice vermicelli (bún) – 300 g
• Leaf lettuce – 1 bunch
• Cilantro – 1 bunch
• Mint – 1 bunch
• Thai basil (or regular) – 1 bunch
• Cucumber – 1
• Roasted peanuts – 50 g
Preparation:
Step 1. Preparing the patty mixture
Finely chop the white part of the lemongrass (bottom 10 cm of the stalk), removing the tough outer layers. Mince the garlic and shallots into a paste. In a bowl, combine the ground pork, lemongrass, garlic, shallots, fish sauce, sugar, and pepper. Knead by hand for 3-4 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky and homogeneous—the meat should slightly pull away from your palms, developing an emulsified texture.
Step 2. Shaping and marinating
Dampen your hands with cold water. Pinch off portions of the mixture the size of a walnut (about 30 g) and shape into flat, round patties about 1 cm thick and 5-6 cm in diameter. Arrange on a parchment-lined plate. Slice the belly across the grain into 0.5 cm-thick pieces, mix with fish sauce and honey. Let everything marinate at room temperature for 20-30 minutes—the meat should darken and become moist.
Step 3. Making the nước chấm sauce
In a bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, then add the fish sauce and lime juice. Taste: the balance should be equally sweet, sour, and salty. Add the minced garlic and thinly sliced chili (with seeds for heat, without for mildness). Julienne the carrot and add it to the sauce—it should float in the liquid. The sauce is ready when the aroma becomes bright and layered.
Step 4. Grilling the meat
Heat a grill pan or regular skillet over high heat until a light smoke appears. Lightly oil the surface. Arrange the patties in batches (no more than 6 at a time), without overlapping. Grill for 2-3 minutes per side—the surface should develop a dark brown caramelized crust with slight charring at the edges, and the juice should run clear when pressed. Grill the belly for 1.5-2 minutes per side until golden stripes appear and the honey caramelizes.
Step 5. Preparing the noodles and herbs
Cook the rice vermicelli according to the package instructions (usually 3-4 minutes in boiling water). Rinse with cold water until fully cooled—the noodles should be slippery but not clumped together. Separate the lettuce leaves, pick the cilantro, mint, and basil leaves. Cut the cucumber into thin 5×0.5 cm sticks. Coarsely chop the peanuts with a knife.
Step 6. Assembly and serving
Pour 100-120 ml of nước chấm sauce into a deep bowl. Place 4-5 patties and 3-4 slices of belly in the center—they should partially submerge in the sauce. On a separate plate, arrange a portion of noodles (about 100 g per person), a pile of fresh herbs, and cucumbers. Sprinkle the meat with peanuts. To eat: use chopsticks to take noodles, dip them in the sauce, add a piece of meat, and wrap it in a lettuce leaf with herbs.
Step 7. Final touches
Serve immediately while the meat is hot and the noodles are cool. The temperature contrast is critical for an authentic experience. Additionally, place a bottle of fish sauce and sliced chili on the table—guests can adjust the flavor to their liking. A proper bún chả is recognized by the cloud of aromatic smoke from the grill and the balance of all five tastes: sweet, sour, salty, spicy, and umami.
💡 Fact: Bún chả gained worldwide fame in 2016 when President Obama and chef Anthony Bourdain ate the dish at the humble Hanoi eatery Bún chả Hương Liên. The table they sat at is now encased in glass and has become a tourist attraction.
🍜 Cao lầu
A unique noodle dish from Hoi An: thick, chewy, almost rubbery, stir-fried with slices of pork, crispy wontons, and a mountain of herbs. The taste—smoky, nutty, with notes of soy sauce and lime. Authentic cao lầu is made only with water from a specific well in Hoi An, but we’ll get as close to the original as possible.
Ingredients:
For the noodles:
• Fresh or frozen udon noodles – 400 g
• Baking soda – 1 tsp
• Water for boiling – 2 L
For the pork:
• Pork neck or shoulder – 300 g
• Soy sauce – 2 tbsp
• Oyster sauce – 1 tbsp
• Chinese five-spice powder – 0.5 tsp
• Garlic – 2 cloves
• Sugar – 1 tsp
• Vegetable oil – 2 tbsp
For the crispy wontons:
• Wonton wrappers (or rice paper) – 6 sheets
• Oil for frying – 200 ml
For the dressing sauce:
• Soy sauce – 3 tbsp
• Fish sauce – 1 tbsp
• Sugar – 1 tbsp
• Lime juice – 2 tbsp
• Minced garlic – 1 clove
• Water – 50 ml
For serving:
• Iceberg lettuce – 100 g
• Bean sprouts – 100 g
• Cilantro – 0.5 bunch
• Mint – 0.5 bunch
• Green onions – 3 stalks
• Roasted peanuts – 50 g
• Lime – 1
Preparation:
Step 1. Preparing the noodles
Bring 2 liters of water to a boil, add the baking soda (it gives the noodles their characteristic alkaline chewiness and yellowish tint, like the original). Add the udon noodles and cook for 2-3 minutes if fresh, or 5-6 minutes if frozen. The noodles should become very dense and chewy, almost "rubbery"—you should feel resistance when biting into them. Drain in a colander, rinse with cold water, and let drain. The noodles should be barely damp, not wet.
Step 2. Marinating and searing the pork
Slice the meat thinly against the grain (0.3-0.4 cm thick, 3×5 cm in size). In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, oyster sauce, five-spice powder, minced garlic, and sugar. Coat the meat in the marinade and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes—the slices should darken and become sticky. Heat a wok or large skillet over maximum heat, add the oil. When a light smoke appears, arrange the meat in a single layer and sear for 1.5-2 minutes per side without stirring—a dark caramelized crust should form with some charring, and the meat should shrink and become firm.
Step 3. Making the crispy wontons
Cut the wonton wrappers (or rice paper) into thin 0.5 cm-wide strips, 5-6 cm long. Heat the oil in a small saucepan to 180°C (drop in a piece of dough—it should instantly float with vigorous sizzling). Fry the strips in small batches for 20-30 seconds until golden and puffed—they should become crispy and airy, like chips. Transfer to a paper towel to remove excess oil. At the right temperature, the wontons won’t absorb oil and will stay light.
Step 4. Making the dressing sauce
In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, and water. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved (about 1 minute). Add the minced garlic. Taste: the sauce should be balanced—salty, sweet, and sour flavors should be distinct but none should dominate. If too salty, add water; if bland, add fish sauce. The consistency should be thin, like a light salad dressing.
Step 5. Stir-frying the noodles with sauce
In the same wok used for the meat (leave a bit of oil and caramelized bits for flavor), stir-fry the noodles over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, constantly stirring with a spatula. The noodles should slightly brown in spots and absorb the flavors from the wok. Pour in half of the prepared sauce (about 50 ml) and quickly toss—the noodles should be coated with a thin layer of glossy dressing but not swimming in liquid. Remove from heat.
Step 6. Preparing the herbs and serving components
Julienne the iceberg lettuce into 0.3 cm-thick strips. Rinse and dry the bean sprouts—they should be crisp. Pick the cilantro and mint leaves from the stems. Thinly slice the green onions (use only the green part). Coarsely chop the peanuts with a knife or crush with the flat side of a knife. Cut the lime into 4 wedges. All components should be ready for final assembly—the dish comes together quickly.
Step 7. Assembly and serving
Place a portion of noodles (about 150 g) in a deep bowl. Top with 4-5 slices of seared pork, distributing them evenly. Add a handful of julienned lettuce, bean sprouts, cilantro, and mint leaves. Sprinkle with green onions and peanuts. Break 3-4 crispy wontons and stick them vertically into the noodles for a dramatic presentation. Drizzle with the remaining sauce (about 2 tbsp per serving) and place a lime wedge on the side. Before eating, thoroughly mix everything with chopsticks—the wontons should partially soften, creating a contrast of textures: chewy noodles, tender meat, crispy sprouts, and moist wonton chips.
💡 Fact: You can only try cao lầu in the city of Hoi An because the traditional recipe requires water from the ancient Ba Le well, built by the Chams over 1,000 years ago. Locals believe the mineral composition of this water gives the noodles their unique texture, which cannot be replicated anywhere else.